Survey Research on e-Learningin Asian Countries - Fiscal Year 2002
(Country Specific Report - Republic of the Philippines)

- Table of Contents 1. Market: Market Trends of e-Learning..........................................................................................1
1.1 Status of IT Promotion (Centered on the Internet).................................................................1
1.1.1 Outline of the Internet .....................................................................................................1
1.1.2 Outline of ISP .................................................................................................................1
1.2 Status of Education and Training System..............................................................................1
1.2.1 Higher Education ............................................................................................................1
1.2.2 Vocational Education ......................................................................................................2
1.3 IT Human Resources Required.............................................................................................2
1.3.1 Outline of IT Human Resources .....................................................................................2
1.3.2 Outline of IT Human Resource Education ......................................................................2
1.4 E-Learning Market Trends.....................................................................................................3
1.4.1 Outline of e-Learning Industry ........................................................................................3
1.4.2 Market Size of e-Learning ..............................................................................................3
2. Technology: Trends of e-Learning System (Synchronous & Asynchronous)...............................4
2.1 University of the Philippines, Open University (UPOU) .........................................................4
2.1.1 Outline ............................................................................................................................4
2.1.2 E-Learning Related Activities..........................................................................................4
2.2 De La Salle University (DLSU)..............................................................................................4
2.2.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................4
2.2.2 E-Learning Related Activities..........................................................................................5
2.3 International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)..........................................................................5
2.3.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................5
2.3.2 E-Learning Related Activities..........................................................................................5
2.4 Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC) - Japan ..................................................6
2.4.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................6
2.4.2 E-Learning Related Activities..........................................................................................6
3. Advanced Activities.....................................................................................................................7
3.1 Next Generation Learning Infrastructure such as Collaborative Learning .............................7
3.2 Quality Standard ...................................................................................................................7
4. Government Policy and its Vision (Mid- and Long-term Direction)..............................................8
4.1 Status of IT Policies...............................................................................................................8
4.1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................8
4.1.2 Policies and its Details....................................................................................................8
4.2 E-Learning Related Measures as Part of IT or Educational Policies .....................................94.2.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................94.2.2 Policies and its Details....................................................................................................94.2.3 E-Learning Related Organization .................................................................................10i4.3 Laws Regulating Rights for Intellectual Property and Personal Information in e-Learning ..10
4.4 Vision ..................................................................................................................................10
4.5 International and National Conference................................................................................10ii

1. Market: Market Trends of e-Learning
1.1 Status of IT Promotion (Centered on the Internet)
1.1.1 Outline of the Internet
The Internet became available to the public in the mid-1990s. Currently, more than several
dozen ISPs are said to exist in the Philippines. Along with dial-up connection, they provide services
such as broadband and cellular phone connection. However, there are many restrictions, such as
the low penetration rate of telephones, limited area for Internet connection, and the high price ofbroadband services.
Only a limited number of people use the Internet. According to the statistics of ITU (2001), thenumber of the Internet users in the Philippines is approximately 2 million, a low user penetration
rate of about 2.56%. However, a steady increase in users is observed when this number iscompared to the number (about 1,090,000) reported in the 1999 ITU survey.

1.1.2 Outline of ISP
Approval from NTC is required to start an ISP business in the Philippines. Five-year approval isgiven after paying an application fee of 100 pesos and an annual registration fee of 6,000 pesos.
Although there are several views on the number of ISPs in the Philippines, approximately 51
ISPs engage in the actual business.

1.2 Status of Education and Training System
1.2.1 Higher Education
The education system in the Philippines is, in principle, six years for primary, four years forsecondary, and four years for higher education. The usually four-year term in university can beeight years for medical and law school, depending on the faculties.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which was established by "Republic Act No.
7722 (the Higher Education Act of 1994)" in 1994, is the center of policies regarding higher
education institutions (public and private higher educational institutions and institutions for postsecondary education which offer courses to acquire degrees) in the Philippines. The establishmentof CHED is part of educational reform led by the Congressional Commission on Education(EDCOM). In addition to CHED, the Department of Education (DepEd), which determines general
educational policies, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA),
which controls the secondary level of technical and vocational training have promoted reform.
The center of higher education reform currently conducted by CHED is the mid-term "Higher
Education Development Fund" plan. This plan is the essential feature of the educational policies
with a target of creating necessary human resources for globalization and knowledge-based
economy between 2001 and 2004.
According to the announcement by CHED, in 2001 there were 1,428 higher educational
institutions in total, of which 170 were public, and 1,258 were private. Also, there were 2,640,000
students, out of which 710,000 were in public institutions, and 1,930,000 were in private institutions.
Popular major fields were: Business Administration/Commercial Science (31%), Education (18%),
Engineering (13%), Math and Computer (8%), and Medicine (7%).
In 1996, CHED started a program for improvement of computer-related infrastructure at national
and private universities. During the first stage, they spent 251 million pesos for improving theinfrastructures of 973 universities by January 1998. In the second stage, they spent 15 million
pesos, and the third stage plan was aborted due to financial deficit of the government. Financially
fit private universities arrange Internet facilities by making direct contracts with ISPs, and as arecent trend, there is a move to prepare Internet cafes within their campuses by affiliating with
ISPs.

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In addition, most of the universities have been integrated into part of a network by "the Philippine
Network Foundation Project", led by Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Furthermore,they also have been integrated into a network for research and educational institutions by the"Philippine Research, Education, and Government Information Network (PREGINET)".

1.2.2 Vocational EducationTESDA exercises jurisdiction over vocational and technical education institutions in the Philippines.
TESDA was established by "Republic Act No.7796 (Technical Education and Skills Development
Act of 1994)". The predecessors of TESDA were three institutions: the National Manpower andYouth Council (NMYC) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Bureau ofTechnical and Vocational Education (BTVE) of DepEd, and the Bureau of Local Employment(BLE) of DOLE. It is said that with the establishment of TESDA, duplicated policies regarding
technology development and human resource development were integrated, and the direction of
vocational education and training policies in the Philippines was established. TESDA bears a
responsibility to enhance vocational education for the secondary level in line with the National
Technical Education and Skills Development Plan (NTESDP).

1.3 IT Human Resources Required
1.3.1 Outline of IT Human Resources
There were approximately 30,000 IT workers within the Philippines in 1993, but it is said that the
number of workers has increased by 30,000 each year. The majority are engineers related tosoftware development, and many of them have made inroads into overseas areas, not to mention
the Philippines. The Philippines has become a supplier of IT engineers mainly related to thesoftware. Software engineers are in short supply worldwide, and the need for IT engineers in thePhilippines has increased at a rate of 26.2% annually. In 2000, approximately 100,000 Filipino
engineers looking for high income were employed overseas.
Also, the demand for IT engineers within the Philippines has increased at an annual rate of 15%
and the shortage of IT engineers is approximately 350,000, according to ITU's estimate. On theother hand, the level of required IT technique has changed, and fostering of expert engineers who
can engage in high-level software development is an urgent need. According to therecommendation by NIIT Philippines, from now on, IT engineers in the Philippines will be required
to make full use of cutting edge technology, and in order to meet such demand, improvement of
the quality of educational institutions is essential.
The Arroyo administration tries to reform the industrial structure by fostering venture companies
by means of nurturing many IT engineers.

1.3.2 Outline of IT Human Resource Education
Sales subsidiaries of computer companies took charge of IT human resource education fromthe 1960s to 1970s. After that, Electronic Data Processing (EDP) vocational colleges were
established in the mid-1970s. In the 1980s, universities started programs with the objective of
acquiring IT technology related degrees.
Currently, approximately 200 institutions provide short-term training courses within thePhilippines and about 30 universities offer IT technology related degree courses. The number ofstudents who belong to IT related courses at universities has rapidly increased; there were about
200,000 students during the term of 1998-99, however, the number has increased to about
300,000 students during the term of 2000-01. To that end, CHED has a plan to revise the standard
for the quality of IT technology related courses, and plans to implement this during the term of
2002-03.

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Various attempts at IT human resource education have been made both by public andprivate sectors. The "National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan (NTESDP)
2000-2004", which is a plan from 2000-04, is one significant example.
The Department of Science and Technology and Information Technology Foundation have aplan for "a Virtual Center for Technology Innovation in IT" to foster 10,000 IT experts within
five years.
Also, there are the following examples in the private level:
IBM has tied up with universities in the Philippines since 1991, providing training programsfor IT engineers.
Cisco established the first network academy in the Philippines in 1998, and its number has
increased to 56. The academies are located mainly within vocational high schools anduniversities, providing training programs regarding network and the Internet technology.
Furthermore, Cisco has established the "Ayala Foundation project", operating a business tohave youths who do not go to school attend the network academy.

1.4

E-Learning Market Trends

1.4.1 Outline of e-Learning Industry
e-Learning industry in the Philippines is one of the major sectors in IT industries that has
started to show growth for the past five years. Currently, due to its short history andinsufficient infrastructure construction, it is still at the "groundbreaking" stage. Some believe,
however, that it has a potential to develop into a large industry in the future.
The majority of e-learning vendors that operate in the Philippines are vendors with foreign
capital.
Cases of implementation in companies are rare, and the activities are conducted mainly by
several major universities. Few vendors are found, except foreign companies from Europe
and the United States.

1.4.2 Market Size of e-Learning
Information unavailable.

32. Technology: Trends of e-Learning System (Synchronous & Asynchronous)
2.1 University of the Philippines, Open University (UPOU)
http://www.upou.org/

2.1.1 Outline
The University of Philippines (UP) is a leading university in the Philippines, established in
1908. Originally, there were only two colleges, that is Padre Faura and Los Banos, however,currently it has eight constituent universities that are granted autonomies under the UP system.
UPOU is the first university open to the public, established in 1995 as the fifth university of
UP, and taking undergraduate courses was made possible in 1997. Programs provided by
UPOU are considered to be well-developed distant learning programs in the Philippines.
The most popular programs taken by students are master's programs in the department ofeducation for teachers, and public management master's programs taken mainly byadministration officials.
Each program mainly uses paper as a medium, and audiocassette tapes and CD-ROMs areused according to the need. In addition to tutorials at about 30 learning centers in thePhilippines, students receive support using telephone and e-mail.
Furthermore, WBT was implemented in November 2000, by using OPEN IVLE, a freeversion of "IVLE (Integrated Virtual Learning Environment)", which is a learning management
system developed by the National University of Singapore (NUS) in Singapore.

2.1.2 E-Learning Related Activities
From August 2000, UPOU started to deliver lectures on the Internet by using OPEN IVLE.
"IVLE" is an online course management system developed by NUS in Singapore. It uses
Internet Information Server and Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and is highly in versatile. Version
3.0 and 4.0 of the "IVLE" has been released as free "OPEN IVLE".
Version 4.0 is used for UPOU, and it has most of the functions necessary to deliver courses
online. It also has functions such as delivering course information and schedules, discussion
boards and quizzes, and an environment with tutorial and security for information sharing, andmonitoring usage.
After one year of implementation, 13 courses were conducted by WBT. Two of thesecourses were complete online lectures without classroom lectures. UPOU is expanding theusage of "IVLE" with a goal of ultimately delivering all lectures online.

2.2 De La Salle University (DLSU)
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/2.2.1 Overview
DLSU is a Catholic university founded in 1911. While national universities are suffering froma shortage of funds, it is a well-funded private university, and has developed into a top
university within the Philippines. It has been affiliated with other prominent universities locatedin the metropolitan area of Manila, such as UP, and provides exchange programs of students
and classes. The total number of the students is approximately 20,000 with six colleges forundergraduates, and six colleges for graduate level.
The Information Technology Center (ITC) is an institution that plays a central role in IT usage.

42.2.2 E-Learning Related Activities(1) "mba.online"
This is an online MBA course of DLSU's Graduate School of Business (GSB). There
are two modes of courses; one is mixed with classroom lectures, the other is providing
most of the classes online. The LMS used in this course is WebCT.
(2) "Internet-enhanced Master of Arts in Teaching Literature Program (InterMATL)""InterMATL" is a distinctive program related to e-learning. This is a joint project of
DLSU and CHED, funded by CHED, with the purpose of having teachers at higher
education institutions located outside the metropolitan area acquire the necessary
knowledge, skills, and degrees for teaching in general education courses and a literature
department. Courses are provided by combining tools on the Internet and conventionalclassroom facilities. The degree acquired through "InterMATL" is accredited by the
Department of Literature of DLSU Manila.
In addition, the following IT related systems have been developed.
(1) "My.LaSalle"
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/mylasalle/"My.LaSalle" is a system used to manage lecture information and personal informationof each student. Students can access such information by logging in the system using
their own IDs and passwords.
(2) "Wireless Information Services (WISe)"
http://wise.dlsu.edu.ph/overview.asp"WISe" is a wireless information delivery and reception system developed by ITC. By
using cellular phones' Short Messaging System (SMS), Wireless Application Protocol(WAP) and Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), it deliver news from the university tostudents, instructors and staff members. The service started in September 2000 with
SMS, and the use of PDAs became available from January 2001.
DLSU positions usage of "WISe" as the third generation of information service
following the Internet and intranet, and plans to use it widely for delivery of university
news, course registration, etc.

2.3 International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
http://www.irri.org/

2.3.1 Overview
IRRI was established by the Rockefeller Foundations and the Filipino government in 1960.
It started research activities in 1962 and has been a non-profit agricultural and engineering
training center.

2.3.2 E-Learning Related Activities(1) "Rice Knowledge Bank"
http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/"Rice Knowledge Bank" within IRRI is the world’s first integrated digital libraryspecializing in producing rice. It supports providing information to national governments,
non-profit organizations and farmers through digitalized information on rice production. In
the Bank, information on past studies on rice plants are digitalized, classified into fivecategories, such as "Knowledge Bytes", "e-learning", "reference guide", "support tool for
decision-making" and "biology database/geographic information system", and the5information is available for browsing.
Under the item of "e-learning", courses called "Rice Grain Quality" regarding basic
knowledge of e-learning and quality of grain have been prepared.
In the former course, in addition to the basic knowledge of e-learning, a glossary used
for learning and a discussion forum that can be logged into only by registrants have been
prepared.
In the latter course, important reminders and techniques for each stage of producing
high quality rice can be learned, and also a discussion forum has been prepared.

2.4 Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC) - Japan
http://www.stacj.org/

2.4.1 Overview
STAC-Japan is an organization established in Tokyo in December 1995. It consists ofstudents, experts and other Filipinos living in Japan, and develops activities that aim at
national prosperity through the development of science and technology.

2.4.2 E-Learning Related Activities(1) "Pilot Distance Education Project (PDEP)"
The objective of "PDEP" is to provide education and vocational training to the Filipinos
who live overseas (Japan). The program provides course modules by using distanceeducation technology. In addition to modules that can be downloaded or on paper media,
it uses video-on-demand, a videoconference system, etc.
(2) "Application of Internet-based Videoconferencing Technology for Remote ProjectManagement and Monitoring"
In this project, members of STAC in Tokyo make presentations of research findings tothe audience in the Philippines. "PDEP" mentioned earlier is the center of this project.
(3) "EDUCONFAB 2002"
http://www.stacj.org/news/educonfab2002.htm"EDUCONFAB2002" was an online conference hosted by STAC-Japan in September
2002, with the theme of the current status of science and technology education in thePhilippines. It was held by connecting Tokyo University in Japan and UP Diliman by avideoconference system.
The purpose of the conference was "Empowering the Philippines through Science andTechnology Education: Responding to the Challenges of the Globalization". Experts in theFilipino governmental institutions made presentations on the current status and future
prospects for science and technology in the Philippines, through the videoconference
system. A little over 30 students participated in Japan, and 40 participated in thePhilippines.

63. Advanced Activities
3.1 Next Generation Learning Infrastructure such as Collaborative Learning
Information unavailable.

3.2 Quality Standard
The Technical Committee of Reviewers for the Delivery on Open Learning and Distance
Education of CHED plays a central role in promoting enhancement of quality for e-learning
contents in the Philippines.
"Updated Policies and Guidelines on Open Learning and Distance Education", which wasannounced by CHED, requires preparation of "fully-described, structured and developedmaterial" regarding development and delivery of e-learning courses, and points out thenecessity to construct the instructional design by experts who have appropriate degrees.
In addition, CHED has established "quality assurance framework", which assures quality as
follows:

Commission on
Higher Education

Technical Committee of
Reviewers for the Delivery
on Open Learning andDistance Education
Technical Panel forSpecific Disciplines

Oversight
Policies
Monitoring/Evaluation
Thrusts
Directions
Standards
Information

Information on
accreditation
status of programsHigher Education Institutions
Peer Review
Accreditation Process

Publics
Information on
accreditation statusof program offerings

Accrediting Body(ies)
Source: Maria Cristina D. Padolina (2002.7), Presentation material for "AEN Conference 2002"
Figure 3-1 Quality Assurance Framework

Under this framework, learner-oriented way, instruction design, quality, continuous
improvement, public responsibility and accountability, etc., are emphasized. Furthermore, toimprove overall quality enhancement for e-learning courses, CHED has a plan to establish a
consortium with an objective to strengthen tie-ups between related education and research
institutions.

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4. Government Policy and its Vision (Mid- and Long-term Direction)
4.1 Status of IT Policies
4.1.1 Overview
In the 1990s, the government made many policies to promote growth of the IT industry in
the Philippines. The policies include deregulations on foreign exchange in order to reduce
trade barriers and increase investment from overseas.
The key to promotion of IT policies in the Philippines is the Information Technology and ECommerce Council (ITECC).
ITECC is the highest ICT policy making body in the Philippines, established by "Executive
Order 18" in 2001. The organizational chart is as follows:

800INFRASTRUCTURE
COMMITTEE COMMITTEE COMMITTEEITECCEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

MGMT. COMMITTEEINFORMATIONINFRASTRUCTURE
COMMITTEE

BUSINESSSDEVELOPMENTCOMMITTEELEGAL ANDREGULATORYCOMMITTEEeGOVERNMENTIMPLEMENTATIONCOMMITTEEHUMANRESOURCE
DEVELOPMENTCOMMITTEE

Source: Maria Cristina D. Padolina (2002.7), Presentation material for "AEN Conference 2002"
Figure 4-1 Organizational Chart for ITECC

The objective of the activity of ITECC is to develop the Philippines as hub for e-service inAsia. In order to carry this out, various committees have been established to form necessary
regulations, e-government structure, information infrastructure development, and humanresource development.

4.1.2 Policies and its Details(1) "National Information Technology Plan for the 21st Century (IT21) ""IT21" is an ICT policy introduced in October 1997. During the initial introduction, theNational Information Technology Council (NITC), which had been established in 1994,
was the institution in charge. It was afterward passed on to ITECC.
As a 10-year plan from 1998, then-president Ramos established the plan. It is divided
into the following three phases:

8(a) Phase 1- Vision: By 2000, construct IT infrastructure that can be accessed from industries,
governmental institutions, schools and homes in the Philippines- Action Agenda: Improve ICT related legal system, improve infrastructure, develop ICT
human resources, implement various measures for developing ICT related industries,
organize activities to carry out structural reform, and publicize and advertise "IT21"(b) Phase 2- Vision: Permeate IT usage into daily life by 2005, and enable Filipino corporations toprovide competitive IT products on the global market- Action Agenda: Promote usage of ICT in every industry, develop ICT products andservices, permeate ICT usage in the public field, secure the global standard in ICT
education and training, maintain high growth of electronic communication sector(c) Phase 3- Vision: Become a knowledge center in Asia by 2010
- Action Agenda: Maintain innovation to create and diffuse ICT knowledge, maintain thehigh growth of ICT industry, maintain the role of the Philippines as the knowledge
center in Asia, promote successful examples of human resource development byusing ICT, and realize universal access in telecommunication

4.2 E-Learning Related Measures as Part of IT or Educational Policies
4.2.1 Overview
The Philippine recognizes e-learning as an essential tool for promoting migration to aknowledge-based society. For its development and diffusion, it has worked on establishing
related legislation as a priority issue. Therefore, it has established ITECC with cooperation ofboth public and private entities, promoting establishment and promotion of IT policies.
The Human Resource Development (HRD) Committee of ITECC is in charge of education
policies.

4.2.2 Policies and its Details
As part of promoting IT introduction, they have following activities:(1) "Philippine Research, Education and Government Information Network (PREGINET)"
http://preginet.asti.dost.gov.ph/
On the initiative of Advanced Science and Technology Institute, the project of"PREGINET" started as a national broadband research and training network, sponsoredby the Department of Science and Technology. The Philippine government aims fordevelopment and improvement of the science and technology infrastructure related to
distance education, telemedicine, bioinformatics, agriculture, and also aims to develop
next-generation network technology by connecting various education and research
institutes with "PREGINET".
By using this network, joint research and development with partners can be possible,
and it can be used as platform for conducting various network experiments.
(2) "SchoolNet"
http://www.pilipinasschoolnet.org/"SchoolNet" is a network project for secondary schools planned by FIT-ED and the
Ayala Foundation. 20 schools are connected, and nine governmental institutions andprivate companies and universities are partners for FIT-ED. The objectives for the project
are improving IT related technology by giving opportunities to experience computers tostudents, resolving digital divide etc.

9In order to implement the projects, various partner corporations support it bothfinancially and technologically. Since 2001, a plan called "ed.venture" has been operated
by suggestion of the Coca Cola Export Corporation. This plan is to provide computers
and Internet access facilities, teach computer usage, and provide continuous support.
First of all, in 2002, it started with 15 high schools, with plans to implement it in a total of
50 high schools by 2004. In the schools that participate in the plan, Coca Cola ed.venture
Center will be provided with the cooperation from Parent-Teacher-Community Association,
local authorities, and rural community organizations. This makes acquiring knowledge forcomputer usage possible. Also, for the first year, Islacom provides free telephone and ISP
services, and after that, it will provide such services at lower prices.
In addition, technical support is provided to schools that participate (or wish toparticipate) in the program.

4.2.3 E-Learning Related Organization
The following are e-learning related organizations in the Philippines:(1) ITECC-HRD eLearning Subcommittee
Under HRD committee, which is one of the committees of ITECC, "eLearning
Subcommittee" has been established. Members of the committee are the government
agencies such as CHED, universities such as DLSU, and IT corporations.
The members of the committees played a central role in holding "The 1st National
Conference on eLearning".

4.3 Laws Regulating Rights for Intellectual Property and Personal Information in e-Learning
In the Philippines, transaction of intellectual property is restricted by "Intellectual Property
Code of the Philippines (Republic Act 8293) ". As for e-learning, it is related to property rightsof the contents for course materials.
The government has announced a policy to strengthen protection for e-learning system andservices. In "E-Commerce Act of 2000", which was implemented in 2000, the government
aims to protect data and information and secure legal effectiveness for electric transaction ofthem. Currently, the Filipino government is considering establishing an institution that leads
policies related to these areas, and is planning to develop standards for securing safety of ecommerce.

4.4 Vision
Information unavailable.

4.5 International and National Conference
The following conference was held:(1) "The 1st National Conference on eLearning"- Period: August 1 and 2, 2002
The second conference is planned to be held in August 2003.

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